FlashpointFlashpointBrendan McLaughlin expounds on life, politics and the state of Tampa Bay Articles
Bad news blues
2007-09-14 03:56:00 By Brendan McLaughlin So many days have passed since my last post extolling the virtues of El Taconazo in Seminole Heights, some readers have considered the ironic possibility that I had been incapacitated somehow by that spicy fare. Not to worry. I am blocked, but only in the literary sense. The truth is the news has been so depressing lately, it has sapped my desire to add to the discussion. This has been one of those weeks where the litany of cruelty and stupidity chronicled in the morning newspaper and across the web has caused paralysis instead of the usual anger. The Bin Laden tape triggered it. How depressing that so many have died since 9-11 while he lives to gloat and taunt. The administration's bait and switch from Osama to Saddam worked perfectly and it's still working. They?ve convinced us that attacking Al Qaeda along the Pakistan border lands (where the real Al Qaeda actually lives) is off the table. Barack Obama was ridiculed for even suggesting it. In... More About: News , Blues , Bad News
A Taco made my weekend
2007-09-11 03:41:00 Add me to the long list of culinary explorers who discovered El Taconazo restaurant in Seminole Heights and became a zealot. The so-called ?Taco Trailer? is located on Hillsborough Avenue just East of Nebraska in Tampa. They don?t have air conditioning, padded booths or margaritas. They do have the best tacos I?ve tasted in Florida. El Taconazo may be a for-profit business serving food to strangers, but it?s clear the recipes were originally conceived as a gesture of love - my guess is from a madre to her ninos. How else to explain the finely crumbled white queso, the delicately chopped scallion and the sprinkling of fresh cilantro? The flavors in the green and red salsas compete with the heat and the flavors win by a nose. Their homemade refried beans will ruin you for the canned glop forevermore. If you want six pounds of generic cheese and bean puree on a plate, there are any number of chain restaurants that will&n... More About: Weekend , Made
Mean Girls on Flashpoint this Sunday Morning
2007-09-07 21:47:00 By Brendan McLaughlin Hillsborough school board member, Jennifer Faliero turned down my invitation to appear on Flashpoint this Sunday morning, but she couldn?t resist taking a subtle dig at rookie board member, April Griffin, who will appear. Through her secretary, Faliero said that instead of appearing on Flashpoint, she will be preparing for that evening?s school board meeting- the job citizens pay her to do. Oh snap! Griffin must be red-faced with shame for squandering 20 minutes with me instead of doing the people?s work. In any case, Sunday?s show is a good one. April Griffin and her like minded colleague and friend, Susan Valdes explain why they?re on the outs with the other five members. Griffin, you may have read stormed out of a team building workshop last week after Faliero suggested Griffin get with the program or resign. Wayne Garcia of Creative Loafing provides the best segment with jaw dropping details of the Tampa Sports... More About: Girls , Morning , Sunday morning
Larry Craig is a "Baaaaaaad" Boy
2007-09-07 04:22:00 By Brendan McLaughlin The arrest of Idaho Senator Larry Craig for pitching woo in the airport loo immediately reminded me of one of my favorite jokes: A decrepit old man walks into a pub in Scotland and in a trembling Scottish burr, orders a pint. The bartender asks if the man?s feeling O.K. The man answers angrily, Feeing O.K.?! This very pub we're just sitting in. I built it with me own hands brick by brick! But do they call me "Angus the Pub Builder?? Nay! See the wall over there that protects our town? I built it with me own hands! But do they call me the ?Angus the Wall Maker?? Nay! And the bridge, you know, that crosses our river, I built it with me own hands! But do they call me ?Angus the Bridge Builder?? You ---- &nbs p;just one goat! Senator Craig?s no-no with the po-po inspires so much scatological mirth that it?s easy to overlook t... More About: Larry Craig
Christian/Muslim Flashpoint stirs it up
2007-09-04 03:39:00 Sunday's Flashpoint show featuring televangelist, Bill Keller and Muslim community activist, Ahmed Bedier generated the most response of any show thus far. Comments fell into four broad categories: Bill Keller Bad "Spreading hate and intolerance through the church is the opposite of Jesus' teachings. I do not believe that Keller is a true Christian . I think that he is an extremist bigot; a wolf in sheep's clothing. God must be weeping over what is being said and done in His name. Ahmed Badier handled Keller's hate mongering better than I would have." -Megan Muslims Bad "Why does your liberal news station continue to ignore the real threat here in america?Muslims attacked us on 9/11 and they will do it again if we don't stand up to them.with that being said "what happened to our rights as americans" to be proud of our country,and religion.God has been taken out of our schools.But yet muslims are allowed to pray and have feet soaks when...
A Flashpoint show from the pits of hell
2007-08-31 21:29:00 By Brendan McLaughlin Fire breathing televangelist, Bill Keller is my guest on Flashpoint this Sunday morning at 11:00 on ABC Action News. You've probably seen the surly preacher with the curly highlights condemning Islam, Mormons and Masons on his late night "Live Prayer" infomercial on WTOG-TV. Keller's doesn't exactly inspire that kumbayah feeling when he tags the prophet Mohammed and Mormon Church founder, Joseph Smith as murdering pedophiles from the pits of hell. Sitting uncomfortably next to Keller on Sunday: Ahmed Bedier, executive director of C.A.I.R. (Council on American Islamic Relations). C.A.I.R.'s complaints about Kellers anti-Muslim diatribes preceded the cancellation of "Live Prayer" by WTOG, though the station claims it was a routine programming decision. The chemistry between these two guests is a little like baking soda and vinegar. Keller implicates Bedier in a terror case in Texas. Bedier reminds the audienc... More About: Show , Hell
You can have my SUV keys when you pry them from my cold green fingers
2007-08-29 23:23:00 By Brendan McLaughlin I?m going to give John Edwards the benefit of the doubt and assume he doesn?t really expect millions of Americans to throw the keys to their SUV?s into a well. That would pollute the well for one thing. And what are we going to do with a vast fleet of decommissioned Wranglers? Make pop art sculptures? Edward?s pledge to ask the nation to give up its SUV?s was in answer to a question at a union meeting on Tuesday in Lake Buena Vista . He probably meant that we should phase out fuel inefficient SUV?s in favor of more environmentally friendly vehicles over time. Good idea. Where Edwards gets it wrong is with his statement, ?I believe Americans are actually willing to sacrifice?. Sacrifice is sending your son to Iraq. Sacrifice is rationing milk, eggs, rubber and tin. Sacrifice is not turning in your Bronco for a Prius. I drive a Prius and believe me, it?s more of an indulgence than a hardship. For... More About: Green , Cold , Keys , Fingers
Dirty dining list hard to digest
2007-08-28 22:31:00 "Eat My Florida" blogger Brian Reis turns up this amazing website that lists Florida restaurants that have been fined by the Florida Department of Hotels and Restaurants. My co-anchor, Wendy Ryan tells me that a fine suggests a repeated or uncorrected violation of the code. The shocker for me is the sheer number of Tampa restaurants (291) that have been cited for multiple violations and fined since 2005. 28 restaurants on Waters, 28 on Hillsborough and 35 on Dale Mabry. It's enough to make you want to learn how to cook. More About: List , Dirty , Hard , Digest , Dining
Never work with kids, dogs or Martin St. Louis
2007-08-27 21:57:00 Talk about being upstaged. On Saturday, the Lightning folks invited me, along with news anchors from the other Bay Area stations to the St. Pete Times Forum for the unveiling of their new logo and jersey. We were each paired up with a current or former Lightning player to walk to the stage through a gauntlet of crazed, camera snapping hockey fans. I drew the long straw with a short player, Martin St. Louis . I had no idea this guy was so revered. It was all I could do to stay out of the way of people trying to take his picture and snap up a few leftover high-fives that St. Louis missed. I should look into this hockey thing. More About: Kids , Dogs , Work , St Louis
Reporter Don Germaise and the Lunsford family
2007-08-27 21:34:00 By Don Germ aise The Jessica Lunsford case has been a gut wrenching story to cover for the past two and a half years. Now that the murderer John Couey has been sentenced, I can let you in on a little secret. Jessie?s family and I have become quite friendly and we tend to joke around when the cameras are not rolling. Some things you didn?t know. . . I once had to help Mark Lunsford dress. Mark?s a blue collar guy and never really needed a tie. However, one day in South Carolina he needed one to address the legislature. He asked us for a ride to the state house and we agreed, since we were going that way anyway. We were on a tight schedule and told Mark to meet us at his hotel no later than 8:00am. Mark was 25 minutes late, and wasn?t answering his cell phone or room phone. I started to panic because we were going to be late covering the story. Finally, Mark sheepishly got off the elevator holding his tie in his hand. He?d been trying and failing to tie the darned thi... More About: Family , Reporter , Mais
Friday Roundup - August 24th, 2007
2007-08-24 16:00:00 Ding dong the stripper's dead. "Anchorwoman" cancelled after one episode. Classic. Have you been to a Devil Rays game lately? Unfortunately, I think this map may be correct. My dreams have come true! I always wanted to build a rapid fire Lego gun. We need more flowcharts, especially when they help me decide if I need a Panflute. I wasn't planning on going to prison any time soon, but if I do hopefully I can upgrade to a room without a crippling bunk bed. Last but not least, Brendan wanted me to remind you to watch Flashpoint this Sunday. Enjoy your weekend!!! More About: Roundup , Friday , August
Smile, commissioners. You're making asses of yourselves on candid camera!
2007-08-24 02:51:00 One of the supposed benefits of introducing cameras to our chambers of government was to add another layer of civility. Wouldn't you think people would be on their best behavior knowing they were on live television and the archived video would exist in perpetuity? Apparently not. Like the Vegas transvestites in the back seat of Taxicab Confessions, our Hillsborough County commissioners seem oblivious to the lens and free to be utterly themselves. And what a spectacle it is. This Sunday morning on Flashpoint we show you some of the more jaw dropping outbursts from the dais featuring Brian Blair, Al Higginbotham, Rose Ferlita and Ken Hagan. Flashpoint regular, Wayne Garcia of The Political Whore and U.T. professor, Dr. Scott Paine give us color commentary and explain how this dysfunction shortchanges the taxpayers of Florida's 4th largest county. Check it out Sunday Morning at 11:00 on ABC Action News or go to the F... More About: Camera , Smile , Candid Camera , Makin , Commissioner
Romney's "tough talk" on Cuba inspires disgust and chuckles
2007-08-22 23:01:00 It's mighty interesting to see the flurry of snaps in response to Mitt Romney's Cuba comments as posted in The Buzz this week. Nobody seems to be buying Mitt's boilerplate policy statement that call for maintaining the utterly failed embargo against Cuba. It was Romney after all who tagged a recent speech in South Florida with the phrase, "Patria o muerte" which is one of Fidel's favorite rallying cry. Chuckles could be heard all the way from Havana. It's too soon to tell if any of the front running presidential candidates are ready to try something different and ignore the slings and arrows of the shrinking right wing exhile community. Barak Obama's recent promise to ease travel restrictions to the island is rather mild, but maybe he's figured out that a growing number of Cuban Americans favor some easing of the trade and travel restrictions. More About: Talk , Tough , Inspire , Disgust
Tampa: Why we love it AND leave it
2007-08-22 04:01:00 By Brendan McLaughlin Sunday's Flashpoint program on Forbes.com's gloomy assesment of Tampa drew more response than I've received in a long time. Ryan even gave us a shout-out from England. I'll try to respond to the gist of your remarks in this one post. (See the show in streaming video here.) Yes,Forbes.com writer, Matt Woolsey was a little monotone, though I think he warmed up toward the end of the interview. His research, though, should sound an alarm to Tampa's leaders and citizens. Our last place (40th) ranking among cities that attract graduates from the elite universities wasn't even a close call. Tampa ranked at or near the bottom in the number of unmarried professionals, corporate headquarters, pay scales, and opportunity. Some of you chided me for arguing with Mr. Woolsey. I didn't dispute his research, but it's my job to challenge his conclusions. That fact that New York has more job opportunities than Tampa could be a story in the business journal, Duh! A... More About: Love , Leave , Love it
Tribute to Deputy Ron Harrison
2007-08-17 23:28:00 By Don Germaise Every once in a while you run across a news story that becomes personal. Usually for me, it?s a story that involves children. I?m a parent and when I have to report on something tragic happening to a child, it gets to me. This week, it was Sgt. Ron Harris on?s murder, a man I knew personally. The station called me in to work about four hours early. . . All hands on deck when there?s breaking news. Before the name of the victim in the cop killing was released to the public, deputies described him only as a DUI Sergeant. I knew right then! There is only one DUI Sergeant. It was Ron Harrison ! I?d known the man for close to a decade. Tears welled up in my eyes. I started calling the colonel and the sheriff. I didn?t want information on the killing. I wanted someone to share my grief at 5:15 in the morning. I wouldn?t necessarily call Ron Harrison a ?friend.? I?d known him professionally for about a decade. We had teased and kidded each other mo... More About: Tribute , Tribu
Friday Roundup - August 17th, 2007
2007-08-17 20:25:00 Friday is in the house and we're cookin' with fire today: Slate has an interesting 'splainer on why the Chinese use lead paint on toys in the first place. Hint: "It's bright, cheap and lasts forever." Lakeland Local shows us that crime ain't just for the Big City Folk?, it's smeared all over Lakeland. Mark Holmgren muses on the state of healthcare in America, quite a popular topic these day (sic). Mariella at Sticks of Fire and Wayne Garcia the Political Whore? both have excellent posts concerning the recent Hillsborough County Commission vote on how wetlands are protected. Here's what Mariella had to say: Commissioners voted 7-0 yesterday to save their jobs, the EPC wetlands division, and implement Dr. Garrity?s compromise Hybrid Proposal. After receiving about 3? of e-mail from an outraged public (Rose Ferlita held up the stack), and taking a constant beating in the press ever since their preliminary vote in June to eliminate the division, they had to vote for the hy... More About: Roundup , Friday , August
Drop the cell phone and step away from the car
2007-08-17 03:34:00 Have you heard about the new Florida traffic law that makes it illegal to hold a cell phone to your ear while driving? The most common email warning making the rounds reads something like this: "As of 07/01/07 cell phone use must be ?hands free? while driving. Ticket is $285. They will be looking for this like crazy- easy money for police department." Don?t worry. I checked the authority on internet nonsense and it?s bogus. Feel free to yak into your Razr while munching on a Gordito and tweezing your nose hair. You wouldn?t be any more dangerous than the armless Land o? Lakes driver who was sent off for five years for a variety of drug and traffic offenses. More About: Phone , Cell Phone , Cell , Step , Drop
It's alimentary, my dear Watson
2007-08-15 23:24:00 Next week, I?m going in for, (how shall I call it?) a ?Katie Couric-oscopy??. I?m not quite 50, but it?s the kind of thing you want to get out of the way. I don?t think I?ve ever gone 4 hours without eating something, so if you have any tips on the all-day fasting portion of this process, let me know. Watch ABC Action News at 11:00 on Monday night to see if the sedation has worn off. More About: Watson
World of Wednesday
2007-08-15 22:58:00 By Brendan McLaughlin If you?re following the effort on the part of some Hillsborough County commissioners to deep six the wetlands protection division of the Environmental Protection Commission, give Frank Sargeant?s column in the Tampa Tribune a read. He believes putting our mangroves and all the marine life they support at risk to save a few clams may not be smart. ?With hundreds of waterfront homeowners throughout the county, many in mangrove areas, the only thing that has kept the roots of thousands of these trees in the water has been the Environmental Protection Commission.? Thursday?s hearing is open to the public. It starts at 9 a.m. at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd in Tampa. --------------- I took a couple of days off to spend time with the daughter back from college. She?ll be off to North Carolina to finish her senior year in a week and since she already has a job lined up in New York after graduation, she will likely never live unde... More About: World , Wednesday
This Sunday on Flashpoint
2007-08-15 22:54:00 By Brendan McLaughlin Forbes.com recently came out with a list of best cities for young professionals and Tampa is on it! Unfortunately, we?re at the very bottom among 40 cities for attracting and keeping highly educated unmarried professionals from the best universities. Writer, Matt Woolsey has some explaining to do and he does his best in this Sunday ?s edition of Flashpoint. It?s a satellite interview, so I don?t get a chance to poke my finger in the scrawny chest of this fancy pants New Yorker calling my City old, boring and cheap. Check it out Sunday morning on ABC Action News at 11:00.
All we are saying is give "U.S. vs John Lennon" a chance
2007-08-11 03:01:00 When the subject of the Vietnam War comes up, I sometimes can?t resist pulling out the old joke, ?I went to ?Nam.(pause, two, three) Pan Am! Straight to Canada!? The truth is I was too young to even do that. By virtue of being 12 years old in 1970, I got to experience that tumultuous era twice- Once as a kid more concerned with puberty than the pentagon papers. Then again as an adult soaking up books and documentaries that fill in the details my hormone addled brain couldn?t absorb the first time around. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was well aware of the anti-war protest movement. The Black Panthers formed in Oakland across the Bay and the courtroom kidnapping and murder of Judge Harold Haley made Angela Davis a fugitive happened just about a mile from our home in Marin County. I also had two older brothers of draft age who were a few lucky lottery numbers away from an all expense paid trip to the... More About: John Lennon , Chance , John , Give , Chan
Friday Roundup
2007-08-10 20:50:00 Time for a look-see at what's happening around the Bay and the bend: Deggans covers Suzanne Malveaux's "Are you black enough?" question to Hillary Clinton. TampaFilmFan keeps us informed about the Independent Film Festival. It's a go! Devil Rays coach "Joe Maddon knows as much about the Rays minor leaguers as your mom." Y'all can make your own opinions. Blast from the Past: Rudi Giuliani puts on his best George Orwell impression... What we don't see is that freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do. -Rudy Giuliani, 1994 Thanks for not having 130 cats. That's all for today, have a great week! More About: Roundup , Friday
Howard will take my questions now
2007-08-09 23:22:00 ; &nbs p; &nb sp; &n bsp; & nbsp; ; &nbs p; &nb sp; &n bsp; & nbsp; ; &nbs p; &nb sp; It?s not like snagging an interview with Prince Frederic Von Anhalt, but convincing Times columnist, Howard Troxler to do a television appearance is still a ?get?. This afternoon, we taped the Flashpoint show that will air this Sunday morning at 11:00. Troxler is one of those ink stained wretches whose smarts and humor come ... More About: Questions
And they thought he was nuts
2007-08-08 03:26:00 By Brendan McLaughlin ?Thank you for your interest in patented Neuticles and the revolutionary testicular implant procedure for pets. Neuticles allows your pet to retain his natural look, self esteem and aids in the trauma associated with neutering.? ; -Neuticles inventor, Gregg A. Miller with "Buck" It?s no joke. The inventor of these prosthetic testicles has sold more than 225,000 pair to dog and cat owners. The cost of sparing your shepherd the humiliation of scrotal shame? Between $80 and $1,000 dollars per .. uh, package. (see sizing chart) I caught this item in a Business Week magazine article that marveled at the $41 billion dollars we spent on our non-human companions last year. That level of spending reflects not only our affluence, but our changing relationship to our pets- especially dogs. 30 years ago, Barney the Beagle would likely have been purchased as a companion for the kids. The... More About: Thought , Nuts
I can't blame high-def TV for looking goofy
2007-08-07 20:56:00 St. Petersburg Times writer, Eric Deggans wrote a nice little piece on our first-in-the-market debut of high definition television in Tampa Bay. But Eric, where did you find that picture? I look like I'm waiting to be booked. More About: High , Look , Blame , Lame , High def
Dead Man Talking
2007-08-06 21:38:00 By Brendan McLaughlin Senator John McCain is making himself available for satellite interviews this week to flog his new book, ?Hard Call- Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them.? I?m talking to him Wednesday for a Flashpoint segment. The hard call for me is how to gracefully ask the war hero why his presidential campaign resembles Westley towards the end of ?Princess Bride?. Remember the scene with Billy Crystal and Mandy Patinkin? (Miracle Max lifts and drops the arm of the dead Westley and says, ?I've seen worse.?) Miracle Max: He probably owes you money huh? I'll ask him. Inigo Montoya: He's dead. He can't talk. Miracle Max: Whoo hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do. Inigo Montoya: What's ... More About: Dead Man , Dead , Talking
Friday Roundup
2007-08-03 16:26:00 All is well here at the ABC Action News stables. Our HD launch went well and we are totally psyched that we were first to market. Go team! Here's a look at what's up around the blogosphere and internets: Deggans takes a look at the Huffington Post Presidential Debate Mashup, and then pontificates about his prolific pontification (read: CNN appearance). Governor Charlies Crist says that Hillsborough County needs light rail. Yeehah! His name is Rod, and he dances on the sand... Warning: this may be unwatchable. Tim Fasano is angry about Kathy Castor supporting children's healthcare. Looks like Florida's voting machines may be compromised. Teachers in Britain want to ban the internets. Good luck teach! Dan Froomkin is concerned that White House Counsel Fred Fielding has overextended himself in attempting to assign immunity to Karl Rove. More Governor news: Crist is asking for a report on Florida bridges in the aftermath of the Minnesota bridge collapse. Get your Departm... More About: Roundup , Friday
Your Weekend Assignment
2007-08-03 04:16:00 By Brendan McLaughlin Eat: At ?Fly Restaurant? on Franklin Street in Tampa. The hot sesame tuna tartare and organic pressed chicken are my two favorite items. Watch : ?Venus? with Peter O?Toole (on DVD) or watch "Flight of the Conchords" on HBO, Sunday night at 10:30. Hear: ?Hot Tuna? founders, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady plus John Hammond at Skipper?s Smokehouse in Tampa, Friday 8:00 pm Go: To the Beach. It?s supposed to clear up this weekend. Thank me later. More About: Weekend
Obama gets it right on Osama
More articles from this author:2007-08-01 23:18:00 By Brendan McLaughlin Barack Obama ?s statement on Pakistan Wednesday was so obvious, so common sense and so long overdue, every other presidential candidate, democrat or republican should be gnashing their teeth for not saying it first. Here?s what he said as part of an address on the global war on terror. "There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharaf will not act, we will." John Kerry and countless other democrats have hammered away at the failure to capture Osama Bin Laden at Tora Bora, - a strategic blunder that, barring the invention of a time machine, cannot be un-done. The more provocative, yet productive question to ask is, why don?t we go get him tomorrow morning? &nbs... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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